Personal Productivity Instructor Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ..............................................................................................................................................6 What is Courseware? ................................................................................................................................ 6 How Do I Customize My Course? .............................................................................................................. 6 Materials Required ................................................................................................................................... 8 Maximizing Your Training Power .............................................................................................................. 8 Module One: Getting Started ........................................................................................................... 10 Housekeeping Items................................................................................................................................ 10 The Parking Lot ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Workshop Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 11 Pre-Assignment Review .......................................................................................................................... 12 Action Plans and Evaluations.................................................................................................................. 12 Module Two: Setting SMART Goals................................................................................................... 13 The Three P’s........................................................................................................................................... 13 The SMART Way ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Prioritizing Your Goals ............................................................................................................................ 16 Evaluating and Adapting ........................................................................................................................ 17 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 17 Module Two: Review Questions.............................................................................................................. 18 Module Three: The Power of Routines .............................................................................................. 20 What is a Routine?.................................................................................................................................. 20 Personal Routines ................................................................................................................................... 22 Professional Routines.............................................................................................................................. 23 Six Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life ......................................................................................................... 24 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 25
Module Three: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 26 Module Four: Scheduling Yourself .................................................................................................... 29 The Simple Secret of Successful Time Management............................................................................... 29 Developing a Tracking System ................................................................................................................ 30 Scheduling Appointments ....................................................................................................................... 33 Scheduling Tasks ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 35 Module Four Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 36 Module Five: Keeping Yourself on Top of Tasks ................................................................................. 38 The One-Minute Rule .............................................................................................................................. 38 The Five-Minute Rule .............................................................................................................................. 39 What to do When You Feel like You’re Sinking ....................................................................................... 40 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 41 Module Five: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 42 Module Six: Tackling New Tasks and Projects.................................................................................... 44 The Sliding Scale ..................................................................................................................................... 44 A Checklist for Getting Started ............................................................................................................... 46 Evaluating and Adapting ........................................................................................................................ 48 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 49 Module Six: Review Questions ................................................................................................................ 50 Module Seven: Using Project Management Techniques .................................................................... 52 The Triple Constraint............................................................................................................................... 52 Creating the Schedule ............................................................................................................................. 54 Using a RACI Chart .................................................................................................................................. 56 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 57 Module Seven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 58
Module Eight: Creating a Workspace ................................................................................................ 60 Setting Up the Physical Layout ............................................................................................................... 60 Ergonomics 101 ...................................................................................................................................... 61 Using Your Computer Efficiently ............................................................................................................. 64 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 65 Module Eight: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 65 Module Nine: Organizing Files and Folders ....................................................................................... 67 Organizing Paper Files ............................................................................................................................ 67 Organizing Electronic Files ...................................................................................................................... 68 Scheduling Archive and Clean-Up ........................................................................................................... 69 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 70 Module Nine: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 71 Module Ten: Managing E-Mail .......................................................................................................... 73 Using E-mail Time Wisely........................................................................................................................ 73 Taking Action! ......................................................................................................................................... 74 Making the Most of Your E-mail Program .............................................................................................. 75 Taking Time Back from Handheld Devices .............................................................................................. 76 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 78 Module Ten: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 79 Module Eleven: Tackling Procrastination .......................................................................................... 81 Why We Procrastinate ............................................................................................................................ 81 Nine Ways to Overcome Procrastination................................................................................................ 82 Eat That Frog! ......................................................................................................................................... 84 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 85 Module Eleven: Review Questions .......................................................................................................... 86 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up .......................................................................................................... 88
Words from the Wise .............................................................................................................................. 88 Parking Lot .............................................................................................................................................. 88 Action Plans and Evaluations.................................................................................................................. 88
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Chinese Proverb Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Courseware.com, a completely new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, PowerPoint slides, and a takehome reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials.
How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants’ industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor’s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click “Update entire table” and press OK.
(You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.)
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If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we have used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you are using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007 and 2010 under the Home tab, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. That will then produce the Modify Style options window where you can set your preferred style options. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do:
Now, we can change our formatting and it will apply to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 or 2010 Essentials by Courseware.com.
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Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Training Manual, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. Worksheets and handouts are included within a separate activities folder and can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets are easily transferrable to a flip chart paper format, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops:
Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides
Quick Reference Sheets for students to take home
Timer or watch (separate from your laptop)
Masking tape
Blank paper
Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants.
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Make it customized. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousand-fold. o
Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group.
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Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately.
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Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.)
Make it fun and interactive. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your
participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures. 
Make it relevant. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life.
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Keep an open mind. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops.
And now, time for the training!
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Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough. Sometimes you have to give up the fight and walk away, and move on to something that's more productive. Donald Trump Module One: Getting Started Most people find that they wish they had more time in a day. This workshop will show participants how to organize their lives and find those hidden moments. Participants will learn how to establish routines, set goals, create an efficient environment, and use time-honored planning and organizational tools to maximize their personal productivity.
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items.
If you need an opening or a way to introduce the participants to each other, utilize the Icebreakers folder to begin or between breaks during the day.
Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits.
Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside.
Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop.
Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn!
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The Parking Lot Explain the concept of The Parking Lot to participants.
The Parking Lot is a visible place where you will “park” ideas that arise which are not on the agenda, may be off topic, or are better addressed outside of the program.
At the end of the session, we will review parked ideas and follow up, or make suggestions for your own investigation when you are back at work.
Suggestions for the trainer: 1. If you are working with a large group of participants, you may wish to nominate a recorder to park items as you are facilitating. 2. It’s a good idea to note the name of the contributor along with the parked item. 3. Items noted on the parking lot can be useful to you later as you plan future training sessions.
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, it occurs more easily and rapidly. With that in mind, let’s review our goals for today. At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
Set and evaluate SMART goals
Use routines to maximize their productivity
Use scheduling tools to make the most of their time
Stay on top of their to-do list
Start new tasks and projects on the right foot
Use basic project management techniques
Organize their physical and virtual workspaces for maximum efficiency
Take back time from e-mail and handheld devices
Beat procrastination
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Pre-Assignment Review The purpose of the Pre-Assignment is to get participants thinking about the efficiency strategies that they are already using and where they need to improve. Participants were asked to complete a three-day productivity survey and to identify their least productive areas. Do a round-robin and compile the most common areas of inefficiency. Encourage participants to keep these areas in mind throughout the day and to focus on tools and solutions that could help them with their problem areas.
Action Plans and Evaluations Pass out the participant action plans and course evaluation forms. They are located in the activities folder. Ask participants to fill these out throughout the day as they learn new things and have ideas on how to incorporate the things we discuss into their lives. The action plan uses the SMART system. This means that your goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
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Time is the stuff that life is made of. Benjamin Franklin Module Two: Setting SMART Goals Goal setting is critical to your personal productivity. It is the single most important life skill that, unfortunately, most people never learn how to do properly. Goal setting can be used in every single area of your life, including financial, physical, personal development, relationships, or even spiritual. According to Brian Tracy’s book Goals, fewer than 3% of people have clear, written goals, and a plan for getting there. Setting goals puts you ahead of the pack! Some people blame everything that goes wrong in their life on something or someone else. They take the role of a victim and they give all their power and control away. Successful people instead dedicate themselves towards taking responsibility for their lives, no matter what the unforeseen or uncontrollable events. Live in the present: the past cannot be changed, and the future is the direct result of what you do right now!
The Three P’s Setting meaningful, long-term goals is a giant step toward achieving your dreams. In turn, setting and achieving short-term goals can help you accomplish the tasks you'll need to achieve the long-term ones. It is also important to make sure that all of your goals unleash the power of the three P's:
Positive: Who could get fired up about a goal such as "Find a career that's not boring"? Goals should be phrased positively, so they help you feel good about yourself and what you're trying to accomplish. A better alternative might be this: "Enroll in pre-law classes so I can help people with legal problems someday."
Personal: Goals must be personal. They must reflect your own dreams and values, not those of friends, family, or the media. When crafting your goal statement, always use the word “I” in the sentence to brand it as your own. When your goals are personal, you'll be more motivated to succeed and take greater pride in your accomplishments.
Possible: When setting goals, be sure to consider what's possible and within your control. Getting into an Ivy League university may be possible if you are earning good grades but unrealistic if you're struggling. In the latter case, a more reasonable goal might be to attend a
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university or trade school that offers courses related to your chosen career. You might also pursue volunteer work that would strengthen your college applications.
Estimated Time
15 minutes
Topic Objective
To understand how goals, in general, should be framed.
Topic Summary
Goals should be positive, personal, and possible.
Materials Required
Worksheet: The Three P’s
Planning Checklist
Print one worksheet per participant Ask participants to identify which of the three P’s is missing from each goal.
Recommended Activity Hint: There might be more than one P missing! Long ago, King Robert the Bruce ruled over Scotland. One day, he was badly defeated in battle. His only option was to escape and hide. He found refuge in a small cave and waited there for months. Stories to Share
Delivery Tips
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One day, he watched a spider try to build a web across the cave’s entrance. Time and time again, the spider fell down and got back up again. After many times, the spider succeeded, proving that with persistence and a plan, anything is possible. This activity is best done in small groups. Once groups have had a few minutes to complete the worksheet, bring the groups back together, and review.
The SMART Way SMART is a convenient acronym for the set of criteria that a goal must have in order for it to be realized by the goal achiever.
Specific: Success coach Jack Canfield states in his book The Success Principles that, “Vague goals produce vague results.” In order for you to achieve a goal, you must be very clear about what exactly you want. Often, creating a list of benefits that the accomplishment of your goal will bring to your life, will you give your mind a compelling reason to pursue that goal.
Measurable: It’s crucial for goal achievement that you are able to track your progress towards your goal. That’s why all goals need some form of objective measuring system so that you can stay on track and become motivated when you enjoy the sweet taste of quantifiable progress.
Achievable: Setting big goals is great, but setting unrealistic goals will just de-motivate you. A good goal is one that challenges, but is not so unrealistic that you have virtually no chance of accomplishing it.
Relevant: Before you even set goals, it’s a good idea to sit down and define your core values and your life purpose because it’s these tools which ultimately decide how and what goals you choose for your life. Goals, in and of themselves, do not provide any happiness. Goals that are in harmony with our life purpose do have the power to make us happy.
Timed: Without setting deadlines for your goals, you have no real compelling reason or motivation to start working on them. By setting a deadline, your subconscious mind begins to work on that goal, night and day, to bring you closer to achievement.
Estimated Time
15 minutes
Topic Objective
To understand the specific parts of a good goal.
Topic Summary
Good goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timed.
Materials Required
Action Plan
Planning Checklist
Print one action plan per participant
Recommended Activity
Ask participants to write a SMART goal for the first two modules of this workshop. They may want to use scrap paper at first, and then record their final goal in their action plan.
Delivery Tips
If action plans were handed out at the beginning of the workshop, transition
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into this activity should be fairly seamless. Review Activity
If participants are comfortable with each other, divide participants into pairs so that they can review each other’s goals and provide feedback.
Prioritizing Your Goals Achieving challenging goals requires a lot of mental energy. Instead of spreading yourself thin by focusing on several goals at once, invest your mental focus on one goal, the most important goal right now. When you are prioritizing, choose a goal that will have the greatest impact on your life compared to how long it will take to achieve. A large part of goal setting is not just identifying what you want, but also identifying what you must give up in your life in order to get it. Most people are unwilling to make a conscious decision to give up the things in their life necessary to achieve their goals.
Estimated Time
5 minutes
Topic Objective
To understand how to make the most of your mental energy.
Topic Summary
When you are prioritizing, choose a goal that will have the greatest impact on your life compared to how long it will take to achieve.
Materials Required
Task list from “The 10 Minute Challenge”
Planning Checklist
Make sure you have the task list from the “10 Minute Challenge” on flip chart paper.
Recommended Activity
Bring out the task list from this morning’s icebreaker. Ask participants to prioritize the tasks based on what we just discussed.
Delivery Tips
This activity can be done in a large group or small groups. It can be interesting to put participants back in their icebreaker groups and see how they would have done things differently.
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Evaluating and Adapting As we change and grow, our goals should change too. When you reach the target date set out in your goal, look at what you have achieved. Here is a checklist to help you out.
What percentage of my goal did I achieve?
Why did I achieve that percentage?
What would I do differently next time?
What is my next step?
What other goals might need to change now?
In addition, keep an eye on new trends and ideas around you – you might just find one that will change your life.
Estimated Time
5 minutes
Topic Objective
To understand how to make your goals grow with you.
Topic Summary
As we grow, our goals and dreams should grow too.
Materials Required
None
Recommended Activity
In a large group, discuss ways that goals might need to change. Encourage ideas on how participants could evaluate goals.
Stories to Share
It takes approximately 30 days to establish a new physical or emotional habit.
Delivery Tips
This activity can be performed in small or large groups.
Case Study Paul worked up a sweat as he tried to make heads or tails of the work in front of him. Cindy caught a glimpse of him and the scattered debris on his desk and asked what she could do to help. Paul told her he couldn't find the light at the end of the tunnel of tasks on his to-do list. Cindy suggested setting goals for both work and personal productivity. Together, they brainstormed positive ideas that made Paul feel better about his career goals using the SMART way of being specific and how to choose goals he could measure instead of having work pile on his desk. Paul set achievable goals that kept him in the fast lane to success in the workplace and at home. Page 17
Module Two: Review Questions 1. Complete this sentence. Goal setting is ____________ to your personal productivity. a) b) c) d)
Critical Useful Meaningless Soothing
2. What is the single most important life skill that most people never learn to do properly? a) b) c) d)
Eat their vegetables Run a marathon Setting smart goals Being on time
3. Goal setting can be used in every single area of your life including physical, personal, spiritual, and ___________. a) b) c) d)
Educational Financial Industrial Medical
4. Setting meaningful, ___________________ goals is a great step toward achieving your dreams. a) b) c) d)
Big Short-term Long-term Impossible
5. Accomplishing short-term ________ can help you accomplish tasks. a) b) c) d)
Goals Dreams Careers Marriages
6. What are the three P's? a) b) c) d)
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Peace, pensiveness, persistence Priorities, purchases, personality Pension, passiveness, purpose Positive, personal, possible
7. SMART is an acronym for what words? a) b) c) d)
Silly, maddening, artistic, realistic, trailblazer Saturated, melodramatic, animal, redone, trouble Simple, manageable, alert, reasonable, traceable Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timed
8. Achieving challenging goals requires a lot of __________ energy. a) b) c) d)
Magic Kinetic Exhausting Mental
9. When you are prioritizing, choose a goal that will have the __________ impact on your life. a) b) c) d)
Least Cheapest Better Greatest
10. As we grow and change, our goals should ___________ too. a) b) c) d)
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Change Disappear Increase Decrease
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. Jim Rohn Module Three: The Power of Routines For most people, the word “routine” typically conjures up an image of a boring, repetitive life, with every moment controlled and managed, and no room for spontaneity. Routines and rituals, however, can actually help increase the spontaneity and fun in your life. Because routine tasks are already planned for, you have more energy to spend on the tasks that will bring you closer to your goals and bring more joy to your life.
What is a Routine? The Random House Dictionary defines a routine as, “any practice, or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set manner.” In fact, you can build any type of routine in three easy steps. 1. Identify the Task. Let’s say you want to build an exercise routine. 2. Identify the Time and/or Trigger. For example, perhaps you normally exercise right after work. 3. Identify the Sub-Tasks. For you, perhaps your routine involves going to the gym, getting changed, stretching, doing 45 minutes on the treadmill, performing three reps of weights, and doing a lap around the pool to finish things off. Then, you shower and go home. Remember, a routine shouldn’t be set in stone. Once you establish a routine, it can be modified at any point in time, depending on what works for you. With our exercise example, you could easily decide to exercise before work or even at lunch and still use the basic task and sub-tasks.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
To understand what a routine is and how to build one.
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You can build any type of routine in three easy steps. Topic Summary
1. Identify the task. 2. Identify the time and/or trigger. 3. Identify the sub-tasks. Ask participants to stand up and spread out in the classroom. Explain that you are going to ask them to perform a series of actions and they just need to follow along. Start by saying, “Touch your shoulders. Touch your toes. Touch your knees.” Then, mix up the parts and repeat. After a few rounds of this, say, “Touch your toes. Touch your knees. Touch your shoulders.” Now, participants are moving in a logical order. Repeat these directions a few times. Once participants are comfortable with the actions, you will probably see them getting ahead of you and performing in sync. At this point, you can ask them to sit down.
Recommended Activity
Delivery Tips
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Discuss:
How efficient and organized did participants feel during the first round, when the facilitator was giving what seemed like random instructions?
How did participants feel when this changed to a logical order (lowest point to highest point)? Did participants feel like they could move faster?
How did this evolve when they realized that this was now the pattern?
What lessons can we take away from this?
Make sure that you have enough space for participants to perform this activity. If space is limited, participants can stay seated. Just change the body parts to something easier, such as knees, nose, and head.
Personal Routines Sleep, meals, and exercise form the building blocks of our lives. Without this stable foundation, other personal productivity efforts won’t be as successful. Here are some ideas.
Sleep: Establish a routine for half an hour before you sleep. This might include creating a to-do list for the next day, enjoying a cup of tea, taking a warm bath, and or performing some stretches. All of these activities will help you wind down and sleep better. It is best to try to go to bed at around the same time every night, too.
Meals: Take a half hour each weekend to plan meals for the next week, including lunches and suppers. Then, make a grocery list and get everything you will need. Appliances like slow cookers and delayed-start ovens can also help you make sure supper is ready when you are.
Exercise: Try to exercise for one hour three times a week, or half an hour each day. One easy way is to go for a brisk walk at lunch, or do yoga in the morning before work.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
To identify key personal routines that participants should establish.
Topic Summary
Routinizing sleep, meals, and exercise will provide great benefits to anyone.
Materials Required
Flip chart paper, Markers (several sets, many colors), Tape
Planning Checklist
Before the workshop, make some storyboards of your own as examples.
Recommended Activity
Divide participants into three groups. Assign one topic (sleep, meals, or exercise) to each group. Ask them to design a routine and draw a storyboard for it.
Stories to Share
Albert Einstein developed a routine of walking to and from work. It was through this routine that he met mathematician Kurt Gödel. These two brilliant minds had a profound impact on each other, and on the theories that shape our world today.
Delivery Tips
After the groups are finished, ask them to tape their designs to the wall and walk around to view each other’s work.
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Professional Routines Here are some routines that many people find helpful in maximizing their time in the office:
Instead of checking e-mail, news, and Web sites throughout the day, set aside one or several periods (for example, morning, noon, and at the end of the day). Then, batch and sequence your activities (for example, e-mail, news, and industry journals). You can batch many types of tasks in this way for maximum efficiency.
Set up a system for maintaining your task tracking system. This can be as simple as five minutes in the morning to update the day’s list, five minutes at noon to update what you have done already, and five minutes at day’s end to evaluate today and create a starting list for tomorrow.
In the morning, perform your tasks in an organized, routine manner. You can also lay out your clothes and prepare your lunch the night before for maximum efficiency.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
To see how routines can be implemented in your professional life.
Topic Summary
Batching e-mail, developing a system for managing your tasks, and having a morning routine, are all examples of routines that can save you time.
Materials Required
Action Plan
Planning Checklist
Print one Action Plan per participant
Recommended Activity
Ask participants to identify one routine they would like to develop in the next few weeks. They should record their ideas in their action plan.
Delivery Tips
If action plans were handed out at the beginning of the workshop, this topic should go very smoothly.
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Six Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life With some creative thinking, you can reduce the number of items on your to-do list. Here are our top six suggestions. 1. Pay someone else to do it. Evaluate the time you spend on household chores and decide whether it is worth it to pay someone else to do it. A service near my home will wash, dry, sort, and fold a load of laundry for only five dollars! We also pay a neighborhood kid ten dollars a week to mow our lawn. 2. Use electronic banking. Today, nearly all banks offer automatic bill payments. If you have bills that are the same amount and due at the same time at regular intervals, set up automatic payments so you don’t have to pay it yourself. Just make sure that you have the money in your account at the required time. 3. Keep everyone organized. If you share your household with roommates, a spouse, or children, keep a calendar in a central location (such as on the fridge) so that everyone can record important dates and appointments. Advance notice means better planning and improved efficiency. 4. Plan your meals. Planning meals in advance (both lunches and suppers) will save you time, money, and energy. Try making soups, chili, or casseroles on the weekend and freezing them for use during the week. 5. Take advantage of shortcuts. Our world is filled with shortcuts: everything from speed dial, to ready-made salad kits, to automatic television recording, can save you a few seconds here and there. It all adds up! 6. Save the difference. The motto of the super-sized Duggar family is, “Buy used and save the difference.” You can do the same thing with newfound minutes: save them up during the day and use them to work towards one of your goals.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
To identify some ways to reduce repetitive, everyday tasks.
Topic Summary
There are many ways that you can simplify your life and shorten your to-do list.
Materials Required
Flip chart paper, Markers
Recommended Activity
Ask participants to close their workbooks. Brainstorm some ways to automate routine tasks.
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Stories to Share
MIT professor Earl Miller says people can’t actually multi-task because of the way the brain is set up. Instead, we shift back and forth very quickly and think we’re multi-tasking. He recommends doing one thing at a time for maximum efficiency.
Delivery Tips
Encourage participants to write ideas that they would like to try in their action plans.
Review Questions
List one way to simplify your life.
Case Study Samantha lagged behind in her work because she felt distracted by an endless supply of emails that popped up on her computer. Her boss, Jenna, noticed that work wasn’t turned in and went to unearth the problem. Swamped by emails and with no routine to keep her productive and read her emails, Jenna suggested setting up a system to control the flood of emails and to allow Samantha to get herself in gear and complete her tasks. They set up a reminder on the computer that would ring loudly to alert her to a 5 minute time line every hour to check her progress and, then, dig deeper into her work without distractions and decided she should only peek at her email three times a day instead of being glued to her screen all day long.
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Module Three: Review Questions 1. Routines and rituals can actually help _________ the spontaneity and fun in your life. a) b) c) d)
Increase Decrease Sap Eliminate
2. Routines allow you to have more __________ to spend on tasks. a) b) c) d)
Room Money Energy Fun
3. “Any practice regularly performed in a set manner� is a _________. a) b) c) d)
Accident Coincidence Downfall Routine
4. Once you establish a routine it can ________________. a) b) c) d)
Be set in stone Be difficult Be modified Be easy
5. How many steps are there to building a routine? a) b) c) d)
Three Five Tons One
6. Which is not one of the three easy steps to building a routine? a) b) c) d)
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Identifying the task Identifying yourself Identifying sub-tasks Identifying time or trigger
7. Sleep, meals, and _____________ form the building blocks of our lives. a) b) c) d)
Exercise Irritating Noise Distractions
8. Which can be considered a professional routine? a) b) c) d)
Do tasks as they come up Don't worry about organization Set aside time to check email Have no plan
9. Which of these is an easy way to simplify your life? a) b) c) d)
Pay someone to do it Plan your meals Use electronic banking All of the above
10. Setting up a system for maintaining your task tracking system is an example of what? a) b) c) d)
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Too much work Laziness Professional routine Procrastinating
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